Travel Agent of the Day Tuesday November 13th, 2007 - Philippa Andrea Bollman
11/13/2007 11:11 a.m.
Philippa Andrea Bollman
Philippa joined the Tripology network back in September of 2007 and has already planned some great vacations for travelers she found through Tripology.com.
How long have you been in the business?
"Officially, for one year. Unofficially, I have been booking travel and helping with vacation plans for family and friends for about 8 years."
What inspired you to become a travel agent?
"My family and friends inspired me to officially get into the travel business. I love to travel and I love to plan, these two passions and skills make the travel industry an easy choice."
Do you have a passion for travel?
"I love to travel."
Did you do anything else before becoming a travel agent?
"I did several things before working in the travel business. First and foremost, I was a homemaker. I also worked as an Event Planner.
Are there any great perks that come with working in this business?
"The perks in this business are great - had I known about them before I would have officially gotten in to the business a lot sooner!"
What are some of the perks?
"I enjoy the travel discounts, upgrades are a great bonus...but the best 'perk' is being able to make my client's travel experiences wonderful and memorable!"
Do you take a lot of vacations?
"I take as many vacations and business trips as I can!"
Do you go alone or do your friends and family tag along?
"I enjoy traveling with my family the most but I do take a few business trips alone."
Favorite getaways to head off to on your own?
"My favorite getaways to go to with family are Hawaii and Europe - especially Germany!"
Do you inadvertently work a lot when you are on vacation? - scouting hotels, activities, tours and sites?
"Yes, I am always working when on vacation, taking note of great accommodations and sightseeing opportunities."
How else do you review hotels that you may not have been to?
"If I have not been to a hotel that I am suggesting to a client, I do research on the internet, I contact the hotel myself by phone, and I get feedback from other clients who have been there."
How many clients do you have right now?
"I have 20 clients that I consider 'Regulars' as I book business and pleasure travel for them on a monthly and yearly basis. In my first official year, I have helped about 50 clients; most of whom I expect to be repeat customers!"
Do you work with a partner?
"At this time I work alone, but I am open to the idea of a partner in the future."
Office or home?
"I have a home-based office."
Do you limit how many clients you can work with at one time?
"I do limit the number of clients that I work with at one time. That exact number varies depending on what my client's needs are at that time. If I have three clients who only need airline tickets, I can take on additional clients. If I have three clients who need: a cruise, an around-the-world trip, and a honeymoon vacation then I will not take on another client until these current ones are taken care of."
Which advertising channels have you found to work the best for you?
"Word of mouth and Tripology referrals have been my best business generating channels so far."
Websites such as, Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity have given the opportunity to travelers to book trips without a travel agent. Have you found this to be a problem for you?
"They can be a big issue for today's travel agents. However, I believe happy clients are repeat clients and I offer whatever it takes to make my customers happy and have them return to me to plan their future trips."
What are you doing to convince travelers that a travel agent is a better option?
"I let prospective clients know that a travel agent is a better option because we take the hassle out of travel! A travel agent makes sure your travels go smoothly. An online booking engine does not!"
If a traveler asks you, "Why should I use a travel agent," how do you respond?
"Whether for business or pleasure, if I do the bookings for you, all you have to do is enjoy the trip!"
Have any travelers given you any horror stories of experiences they had trying to book a trip on their own?
"I have heard several horror stories from people who have booked travel on their own. A few have since used my services repeatedly because they get better deals and better over-all service while on vacation by going through a travel agent."
What's the most exciting trip to book right now for you?
"The most exciting trips for me right now are overseas trips, especially to Europe with sightseeing tours. Cruises are also fun to book!"
What would you say is your most popular destination request right now?
"Cruises"
Why do you think that is?
"I believe cruises are so popular because you get the most bang for your buck and there are many options to choose from to meet everyone's needs and wishes."
There's a lot of buzz about specialization these days, and how destination expertise is still a great value proposition for travelers. Why do you think agent specialization is important to have when travelers are trying to book the trip?
"Agent specialization can help make a customer's experience memorable. If you know the area, you can suggest and offer firsthand knowledge."
What does it mean to be specialized to you?
"I believe specialization means focusing your sales on a particular area, such as Europe or Mexico, and a particular type of travel, such as cruises or group travel."
Is it focusing on only 1 thing and traveling there every year?
"Specializing is not focusing on one thing; it's more about focusing on a particular niche. If an agency can "make it" by specializing in a particular area and particular type of travel, that's great.
Do travelers ask a lot if you have been to where they are trying to book their trip?
"Most of my clients have not asked if I have been to where they are traveling. If I have knowledge of the area, I always let my client know and it seems to make them very happy and more comfortable with the travel purchase."
If someone were to call you and ask for a once in a lifetime vacation idea, what would you suggest?
"A trip through several European countries with specific city tours along the way. I have done this several times and it is ALWAYS a wonderful, rewarding experience. I can offer first-hand knowledge and suggestions which will make my clients trip all the more rewarding."
Funniest thing you have ever been asked?
"This one traveler contacted me with truly unrealistic expectations in price. They wanted airfare, airport transportation to a ski resort, hotel accommodations for five nights, and multi-day ski tickets for two around $550. Now I pride myself on finding great deals but this was 'out of my league.' I did find them the entire package for $985 - including all of their requests - but they passed. Praise to the agent that was able to find the trip at the price they wanted."
Tags: travel agents of the day
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